Packaging for frangible objects



Feb. 2, 1954 M. F. RITCHIE 2,667,968

PACKAGING FOR FRANGIBLE OBJECTS Filed Dec. 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN mom/E Feb. 2, 1954 M. F. RITCHIE PACKAGING FOR FRANGI?LE OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 2, 1954 2,667,968 1 PACKAGING FOR FRANGIBLE O JECTS Mansfield F. Ritchie, Benton Harbor, Mich., as-

signor to Twin Cities Container Corporation,

Benton Harbor, Mich.,

Michigan a corporation of Application December 1, 1950, Serial No. 198,639 1 This invention relates generally to improvements in packaging, and relates particularly to an improved carton for packing a frangible object, such as an object made of refractory material, in such a fashion as to space the object from the sides, top and bottom of its shipping container with equal pressure against all sides of the object at all times.

In the packing of frangible objects, such as might be made from refractory materials, it has heretofore been the practice to wrap the objects in several thicknesses of padding and to enclose the wrapped article in a carton with the wrapped article spaced from the top, sides and bottom by additional pads, wadded paper, excelsior or the like. Such modes of wrapping and packaging are costly and extremely messy, and are also notentirely practicable from the standpoint of breakage.

According to the present invention it is possible to package a more or less irregularly shaped object'such as a split fire pot ring assembly made of refractory material, and to support the parts making up such an assembly in such a fashion that the several parts are completely spaced from the walls of the container and securely held in position therein, irrespective of whether the container rests on its sides or on the top or bottom thereof. According to the present invention the objects to be packed, which in the instant application are in the form of a pair of rings, each of which is split along a diameter thereof, are supported on a tray having sides which extend along the inner side of the carton and bear against the bottom flaps of the carton. The split ring is supported on the tray and is held against displacement from side to side by die cut support sheets having cutout portions closely fitting the split ring segments and holdingthe ring segments in spaced relationship. One of the support sheets is provided with flanges or tabs which are turned down to extend along opposite inner sides of the container and to bear against the tray. The second support sheet is die cut in a fashion similar to the first and so as to hold two of the mating half ring portions within the confines of the cut out portions,- and at the same time is turned through a 90 angle so that its direction of greatest strength is at 90 to the direction of greatest strength of the first support sheet. The second support sheet is likewise provided with bent over flanges or tabs which lie alongside the inner sides of the carton, and whioh'bear against a top tray resting on top of the ring segments which are so supported by the support, sheets.

3 Claims. (01. 20665) In the preferred embodiment of the present invention a pair of such split rings are supported within the container body, and a divider pad is employed to separate each pair of split rings from the other. Accordingly, the upturned flanges of the second support sheet bear against theunderside of the divider pad, and also extend along the opposite inner sides of the carton. The second of the pair of split rings rests upon the divider pad referred to, and support sheets similar to those supporting the first of the pair of split rings are provided to hold the second of the pair of split rings in position against lateral movement. Thus, a third support sheet is provided with downward extending flanges or tabs Which-extend alongth'e inner sides of the carton and bear against the divider pad. A fourth support sheet underlies the third support sheet and is spaced therefrom to provide for lateral support of the-second of the pair of split rings. The fourth support sheet likewise has a pair of upward extending flanges which extend along the opposite inner sides of the container body and bear against a tray resting upon the second of the pair of split rings,the tray having sides extending along the inner sides of the carton, and bearing against the'folded top flaps of the carton.

It is a principal object of the invention to. enable'a frangible object to be packed in such a fashion that the object is completely isolated or spaced from the sides, top and bottom of its shipping container. 7

Another object is to afford a simple arrangement for packing an'irregular shaped frangible object in such a fashion as to space the object from the sides, top and bottom of its shipping container, and to achieve such packing of the article by the useof flat sheets of fiber or-corrugated box'board which are suitably die cut and scored to fit within a conventional fiat sided container. I 1

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction for a container or package for a number of articleswhich together make up an assembly such as a fire pot ring assembly formed from split rings which are extremely frangible, and to support the various elements making up such an assembly in such fashion that the various elements are completely separated from each other and are completely spaced from the sides, top and bottom of the container.

Other important objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from a study of the following description taken together with the drawings which together illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and what is now considered to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. Other forms of the invention as fall within the purview and the spirit and scope of the appended claims are intended to be reserved.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one of a pair of split rings formed from a frangible refractory material and forming part of a fire pot lining, showing one the split rings held in position in a container according to the present invention, the top of the container being removed for purposes of illustration;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section taken along a vertical plane along the line 22 of Figure 1, just inside a side wall of the container, and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the manner of disposing the pair of split rings within the container;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the container shown in Figure 2 along the line 3--3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view showing the container according to the present invention with the frangible object shown in position therein;

Referring now to the drawings, the improved container according to the present invention is indicated generally by the ordinal l and is fabricated in part from a cut and scored sheet to define continuous side walls I l to M, walls II and i4 being. joined along their contiguous edges by a stripof gummed fabric It in a manner known to those in the art. The container I0 is provided with upper end flaps IT to extending from the top of the walls I l to M, and the end flaps are folded overin the manner shown and held together by a strip of gummed tape or fabric 2| to define a closure for the top of the carton H]. The container body H] is also provided with lower end flaps 22 to 25 extending from the bottom of the walls I l to L4, and the end flaps 22 to 25 may likewise be folded over and :held together along their contiguous edges by a strip of gummed tape or fabric 25 extending for the length of the flaps 2'4 and 25 to define a bottom closure for the carton l0.

According to the present invention, the carton H3: is adapted toenclose a fire pot ring assembly made of a frangible refractory material in such afashion that the parts making up the assembly willat no time be subjected to any blows against the sides, bottom or top of the container [0 incident to the handling or transport thereof.

The firepot ring assembly is made up of split rings which when cemented together and positioned one atop the other define a tiered fire pot ring. The container body 10 is thus adapted to support a lower ring composed of a pair of ring segments 21 and 28 formed at theends thereof as at 29 so as to key together.. The container body It) may also be so constructed to support an upper ring composed of a pair of ring segments 31:. and 32 also formed at the ends thereof as at 33; so as to key together.

The lower ring is adapted to rest upon an inverted tray 34 having sides 36 which bear against the insidefolded bottom. fiaps 22 and 23, and which extend along. the inside of the sides II to Means are provided for enabling the ring segments 21. and 28 to be supported upon the inverted. tray 34 in position spaced. from each other and from the sides II to ['4 of the carton Ill, and

in such a fashion that the ring segments will be incapable of rocking individually or together upon the inverted tray 34. To this end a pair of support sheets 37 and 38 are provided which are spaced from each other in their substantial planes, and which have flanges extending in opposite directions to limit the amount of possible movement of the support sheets toward and away from each other.

The support sheet 31 is thus cut with a pair of arcuate slots 39 and 4| of a size corresponding to the cross-section of the respective ring segments 2'! and 28 so that the support sheet 31 will closely fit the ring segments 21 and 28. The centers of the arcuate slots 39 and 4| are spaced a small distance'so that the support sheet 31 is continuous across the ends 29 of the ring segments 2'! and 28 as seen at 42, so that the sheet 3! presents a die-cut Web for holding the ring segments 2? and 28 against lateral displacement with.

' which bear against the inverted tray 34 and which extend along the inner sides of the walls II and E3 of the carton ID. V

The support sheet 38 is likewise cut with a pair of arcuate slots of a size corresponding to the cross-section of the ring segments 21 and 28, and are so disposed in the support sheet 38 as to be in register with the arcuate slots 39 and 4! cut in the support sheet 31. As shown in the several views the sheet 38 is so related with respect to the sheet 3'! that its fiber grain is at 90 with respect to the grain of the sheet 31. In the case of corrugated sheet material the corrugations of sheets 31 and 38 would be at right angles with respect to each other.

As seen in the drawings the sheet 38 underlies the sheet 31 and is held in properly spaced relationship with respect to the sheet 31 by upturned flanges or tabs 44 which extend along the inner sides of the side walls [2 and 14 of the carton It. In the preferred embodiment of the inven- The split ring sections 31 and 3-2 which rest upon the divider pad are preferably arranged so as to be related 90 with respect to the split rings 21 and 28. The ring segments are likewise supported in such a fashion that the ring segments 3| and 32 will be incapable of rocking individually or together upon the divider pad 461 To thisend a similar pair-of support sheets 5'! and 48 areprovided whichare spaced from each other in their substantial planes, and which have flanges or tabs 52 and E4, respectively,'extending in- 011130 site directions to limit the amount of possible movement of the support sheets 41 and 48' with respect to each other. V

The support sheet 4 1- is cut with a pair of arcuate slots 49 and 5| of a sizecorresponding to the oross-section-of the respective ring segments 3l and 32 so that the support sheet 41- will fit thering segments -3 land 32 closely. Thecenters of the arcuate slots 4 9' and 5-! are spaced a small distance so that the support sheet 41 is continuous across the ends 33- of the ring segments 3| and 32 as seen at 53, sothat the sheet presents a die-cut web for holding the ring segments 3| and 32 in spaced relationship and against iateraf dis placement .withv respectto the sides .I I to. l4 of the container l0.

As seen with particular reference to Figure 4, the sheet 48 underlies the sheet 41 and is held in properly spaced relationshi with respect to the sheet 41 by upturned flanges or tabs 54 which extend along the inner sides of the sidewalls [2 to l4 of the container Ill. The upturned flanges bear against a tray 56 having sides 51 extending along the inner sides of the walls II to I4 and bearing against the inside of the top closure of the carton I0.

The trays 34 and 56 and the divider pad 46 define a pair of compartments 40 and 50 within the container body I0, and it will be seen that ring segments 2! and 28 are isolated within the compartment 40 from ring segments 3| and 32 which are isolated within the compartment 50.

It will be seen that the support sheets 31 and 38 at all times afford a positive means for preventing lateral shifting of the ring segments 21 and 28, at the same time preventing any possibility of the ring segments 21 and 28 overturning or canting about their bottom surfaces. Since the two support sheets 31 and 38 are limited in movement in a direction normal to their substantial planes by the flanges 43 and 44, bearing respectively against the inverted tray 34 and the divider pad 48, there will at all times be at least one of the support sheets affording support against lateral movement of the ring segments 2! and 28. Since the arcuate slots formed in the sheets 31 and 38 are of such dimension as to closely contact the sides of the ring segments 21 and 28, there is little if any movement of the support sheets 31 and 38 with respect to the ring segments 21 to 28, since there is sufficient frictional engagement to prevent such movement. However, in the event there is such movement normal to the plane of the support sheets 31 and 3B, the flanges 43 and 44 will limit such movement, so that sheet 38 will be supported by its flanges 43 on the inverted tray 34, or so that sheet 31 will be supported by its flanges 44 on the divider pad 46 in case the carton is inverted.

It will likewise be seen that the support sheets 41 and 48 will function-in a 'manner similar to the support sheets 31 and 38, so that at all times the ring segments 3| and 32 will be provided with lateral support by either of the support sheets 41 or 48 depending'upon whether the carton I is inverted or in the'position shown in the several figures.

As shown in the figures, ring segments 3| and 32 are positioned 90 to the ring segments 21 and 28 so that a certain amount of bridging support action is had across the spaced ends 29 or 33 depending upon whether the carton I0 is inverted or not. Such disposition of the ring segments also tends to prevent any rocking of the tiered split support rings within the carton I0.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown a number of radially directed arrows in the plane of the support sheets 41 and 38 respectively. These arrows are intended to represent vectorially the uniform pressure transmitted by the support sheets 31, 38, 4! and 48 into the split ring segments 21, 28, 31 and 32 by blows incident against the sides of the container [8.

It will be noted that the inverted tray 34 and the upper tray 58 space the extreme planar surfaces of the ring segments from the top and bottom of the container I0, and that the usual blows against the top and bottom of the container I0 6 will be distributed through the 'topand,

bottom closures into 'theside walls-to I4. 1 w v The preferred embodiment of theinvention shown as being adapted :to providefor the pack; aging of a pair of split ring assemblies, but it is contemplated that only one .ofgtheipairyofsplit ring assembliesmay be packaged. Insuch a case the split ring segments-.21, and-28. aresupported upon the inverted tray; 34- and. :heldjin. position against lateral displacement bythe support sheets 3'! and 38. The trayliliv isthen positioned atop the ring segments 21 and so that tabs 51 bear against the underside of the top closure of the carton Ill, the-upturned tabs, of sheeth38gbear ing against the underside ;of,,the.;tray 56 The movement ofthe support sheetsi3'l. and--38inthis embodiment of, the. inventionaisdimited, by the trays 34 and 56, so that the ring segments are at all times afiorded lateral support byv the support sheets 31 and38.

In this form of the invention, which contem-. plates packaging one pair of split rings only, complete isolation and spacing of the ringsegments against blows incident to transportation and'handling is also achieved I p- The improved container ,according to z-the present invention has been found to almost com-- pletely eliminate breakage to articles of the kind described herein, while prior to employing a packaging arrangement as described herein the losses in shipping were very high. The package described herein is completely formed from sheet material which is modified by. the most, simple die cutting and scoring operations 3 While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments which the invention may assume in practice, its'scope isnot intended to be limited by the embodiment shown, nor otherwise than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved package includinga pair of frangible, refractory, split fire-potring segments, said package comprising a container body having side wallsand top and bottom closures, a first inverted tray holding said pair of ring segments in position spaced fromthe bottom, closure of said container body, a second tray: resting upon said ring segments and spacing said ring seg--' ments from said top closure, and.means for holding said ring segments against lateral displacement within the compartment formed by said trays and container and for holding said ring segments in mutually spaced relationship, said means comprising a pair of interfitted U- shaped support sheets in said, compartment, each of said support sheets having its substantial plane spaced from the other and having arcuate slots cut therein of such dimension as to closely flt and yieldingly seize said spaced ring segments, one of said support sheets having tabs extending along opposite walls of said container body and bearing against said second tray, and the other of said support sheets having tabs extending in an opposite direction along another pair of opposite walls of said container body and bearing against said inverted tray.

2. In the art of packaging frangible fire-pot rings of the split variety consisting of mating pairs of half-ring segments, the combination. with a container having a plurality of pairs of oppositely facing sidewalls, and oppositely facing top and bottom walls adjacent thereto, of improved ring-supporting and protective means comprising, to wit: an inverted bottom tray disposed on the inside bottom wall of said contamerf a1 first pair of said segments disposed on said bottom tray; a divider .pad resting on said first pair ofsegments and dividing the container interiorly into upper and lower compartments with said first pair of segments situated in the lower compartment; a second pair of said segments disposed upon' said divider pad in the upper compartment; and support-sheet means for each pair of segments to hold the same against lateral displacement and secure the several segments of each pair in predetermined. spaced relation to each other and in approxi, mate concentricity relative'to an axis normal to said sheet means and divider pad; said support sheet means comprising apair of support sheets in each said compartment, each sheet of a pair having its substantial plane normal to said axis and spaced from the plane of the companion sheet, and both sheets of each pair having two arcuate slots cut therein in approximate concerntricity to said axis and so positioned and dimensioned that each slot closely fits and yieldingly seizes one of the segments of the pair engaged thereby, a first one of the support sheets in the lower compartment having a pair of oppositely facing pendant marginal tabs respectively extending along, and engaging, a first pair of said opposite walls of the container and bearing downwardly against said bottom tray; and the companion sheet of said first pair in the lower [compartment having asimilar pair of tabs extending in the opposite direction toward said upper compartment but along another pair of said opposite walls of the container adjoining the first-mentioned pair, and bearing upwardly to abut said divider pad; and a second pair of support sheets identical to said first pair and seizing the second pair of segments in the upper compartment in like manner to the first pair as aforesaid, and further having one pair of pendant tabs on a first support sheet bearing downwardly against said divider pad, and a second pair of tabs on the companion sheet bearing upwardly toward the top wall of the container; together with a top tray inverted in the upper compartment and. interposed between the top wall of the container and said second pair of segments to abut said last-mentioned upwardly projecting tabs.

.3. A packaged fire-pot ring assembly including at least one pair of semi-cylindrical fire-pot rings, seized by a pair of U-shaped paperboard support sheets each having a fiat central portion ituated between a pair of rectangularly ofiset marginal tabs formed integrally therewith, said tabs being of a predetermined depth and each having a longitudinal free edge portion extending approximately parallel to the plane of the appertaining central portion, one support sheet of each pair being inverted and turned. relative to the other with its tabs displaced from tabs of the other sheet and said sheets being inter:- fitted in assembled relation-with the central per-v tions of each disposed between the tabs of theother to dispose said central portions in a pre? determined parallel spacing with the tabs of each sheet projecting substantially beyond the central portion of the other sheet; said central portions having formed therein respectively registering arcuate slot configurations dimensinned to fit snugly onto said fire-rpot rings and frictionally seize the same and maintain said support sheets adjusted positions between opposite extremities of said pair of rings, the latter being of predetermined height between said extremities, and said support sheets being adjusted relative .to said height and maintained in the aforesaid parallel spacing by seizure of the rings so as to respectively dispose the free edges of each pairof tabs closely at or beyond one of said extremities of the rings; together with paperboard end sheet members each positioned to abut against the free edgesof one pair of tabs in close confronting proximity to the respective extremities of the fire-pot rings; and an outer box having side walls fitting around said pair of support sheets closelyagainst said tabs and having opposite end walls each of which closely confronts one of said end. sheet members; whereby said support sheets and said end sheet members aremaintained in assembled relation as aforesaid, and said rings are seized by both of said central flat portions and held against movement within confines defined by said tabs and end sheet members.

MANSFIELD F. RITCHIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 711,024 Toy -2 Oct. 14, 1902 1,280,652 Boyd Oct. 8, 1918 1,351,739 Boyd Sept. 7, 1920 1,351,740 Boyd i Sept. 7, 1920 1,456,098 Deane May 22, 1923 1,812,311 Wolf June 30, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 534,182 France Jan. 3, 1922 

